BC Cancer Foundation - Spring 2015 - (Page 6)

WHY I GIVE Pay It Forward Reaching life's special milestones inspires Jane Young to give hope to cancer patients J ane Young is the VP of Corporate Relations for Peterson Group, a director on the BC Cancer Foundation board and mother to teen triplets. For a long while now, she has measured her life in milestones. As a cancer survivor, Jane is always hoping to reach the next major milestone. "Cancer doesn't give you a pass because you are a young mother or because you have people who depend on you," says Jane, who has a background in pharmaceutical science. OPENING NEW DOORS After experiencing the impact a cancer diagnosis and treatment have, Jane quickly realized that what every person facing cancer really needs is hope. And, hope is something Jane has in spades, thanks to the expertise of BC Cancer Agency researchers and oncologists like Dr. Roy Ma, who conduct clinical research to continuously improve care for cancer patients. Grateful for her own treatment and 14 years cancer-free, Jane has been inspired to help ensure clinicians and researchers have the best tools to continue their great work. Recently, she played an instrumental role in spearheading the Foundation's inaugural Hope Couture fashion show, which sparked momentum raising $1.5 million to support a highly specialized radiotherapy technology called VERO™. This high-tech machine will allow Dr. Ma and his colleagues 6 PARTNeRS IN DISCOVeRY to advance clinical research and provide treatment options to patients who may have run out of options. EXPANDING TREATMENT OPTIONS The BC Cancer Agency's expert clinicians and researchers have an established history of excellence in the development of radiation technology platforms using evidence-based research protocols. With its ability to track the movement of a tumour in real time and its precisely contoured beams, Dr. Ma says the VERO will open the door to research new treatment options for patients with brain, liver, pancreas, kidney and lung cancers, which represent the most common causes of cancer death worldwide. They are traditionally among the most difficult to target and treat. "We have an opportunity to really change the standard of care," says Dr. Ma. Thanks to Jane's efforts and the generosity of BC Cancer Foundation donors, $6.5 million was raised in Jane Young's commitment to the BC Cancer Foundation has helped to ensure researchers and clinicians have the tools they need to make groundbreaking discoveries. less than six months to ensure the acquisition of a world-class VERO radiotherapy delivery system. This cutting-edge piece of technology, in conjunction with a stereotactic body radiotherapy program, will raise the status quo for radiation therapy and improve the lives of thousands of British Columbians affected by hardto-treat cancers. Jane's motivation to give remains simple: "I want to give hope to those who suffer from cancer, to help more people get to the milestones in their life." HOPE COUTURE HELPS CANCER CARE GO HIGH-TECH Thanks to Hope Couture and the generosity of BC Cancer Foundation donors, the VeRO™ is coming to the BC Cancer Agency. Learn more about Hope Couture, a fashion fundraiser, happening this September: bccancerfoundation.com. http://www.bccancerfoundation.com

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of BC Cancer Foundation - Spring 2015

Contents
Opening Thoughts
Healthy Insights
Why I Give
Researcher Profile
The Future of Prostate Cancer Care
Game-Changing Cancer Research
The Protein Link to Cancer
Legacy Giving
Regional Roundup

BC Cancer Foundation - Spring 2015